Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-05-19
THE PASSOVER.
EXPLANATORY NOTES BY S. J..
cURTIss, PHI. D., D. D.

Text OF Lesson, EX. xii, 1-14-GOlden
Text, Cor. v, Z.
In the last lesson Moses was called to be
the leader of Israel out of Egypt. Chapters
All show how the way was prepared for him.
They contain an account of the. struggle of
the king of Egypt with the King of Kings.
One blow after another falls on the unhappy
Pharaoh and his people, until he can no
longer be in doubt that the Jehovah with
whom he is contending, and concerning
whom he had scornfully asked, is God of al
mighty power. He must have seen before
the struggle was ended that the gods OF Egypt
could not save him. The last of the ten
plaques was to come in the destruction of all
the first born Of man and beast among the
Egyptians. Hitherto the. Israelites had been
spared from the plaques that had been visited
upon the Egyptians. A special provision was
now to be made for the sparing of the first
born in connection with the institution of
the passover.
THE LESSON
Moses and Aaron ". D-God is represented
as speaking to Moses and Aaron. By this we
are to understand that he spoke to Moses and
that Moses gave the message to Aaron for
the people. This arrangement was made that
Aaron should speak to the people, because
Moses distrusted his own power of speech,
although God might otherwise have given
him the ability to speak to them without the
help of Aaron.
The New Year ". 2-As our Christian era
dates from the birth Of Christ, so the new
year among the Israelities was to date from
the birthday Of the nation. Hitherto the
year had begun in the autumn, as it still does
among the Jews; but here God commands
that it should begin in the spring, with the
month Abb, or Nisan, corresponding to
April or May.
The Lamb ". S-They were to speak to the
congregation Of Israel, perhaps to the repre-
sentatives Of different tribes and families,
who could come together to hear Gods COM
mands. On the tsnth day of the month they
we're to take lamb, or kid Revised Version,
margin), for each family. While the lamb
was not to be killed until the 18th of the
month, they were doubtless allowed four days
to make careful selection from their flocks
or that they might purchase from others
v. If the family were too small to eat
the lamb-and in later times piece of the
lamb as large as an olive sufficed for each
person who ate the passover meal-then they
were to invite next door neighbor to share
with them In New Testament times the
legal number who were to partake of one
lamb was not less than ten
Y. s. Not every lamb was suitable for this
purpose, but, as in the sacTificial ritual Of
later times, it was to be without blemish, a
male Of the first year, either of the sheep or
of the goats.
v. 6. This lamb or goat was to be kept
until the fourteenth day. and then all the
assembly of the congregation, probably, how
ever, not in any one place of meeting, but in
their respective places of abode, were to kill
the lamb between the evenings" Revised
Version, marginl. There are two interpreta-
tions and usages with reference to the term
between the evenings; some tthe Pharisees
and modern jews think that it means the
time between o'clock and sunset; others the
Samaritans and Karasitss) from sunset to the
end of twilight.
The Blood ". 0-Aftsr killing the lamb
they we're to sprinkle the blood with hyssop
upon the door posts and on the intel-the
cross piece at the top-of the houses in which
they were to eat the passover.
The Passover Meal Tvs 8, 9-They were to
eat the flesh In the night, roasted, and with
unleavened bread, which they were to use,
because, on account Of their haste, there was
III t4Ilc w PEcpdLc tcdNSHcu OTodQ. ana DER
haps because leaven was a symbol Of unclean-
ness and evil. They were also to take bitter
herbs, which were to remind them of their
bitter bondage in Egypt. Compare ths
bread Of affection, Deut xvi, 13) They were
not to eat the lamb boiled or raw; the latter
command was necessary because it is not un-
common for some people to eat raw flesh
V. 10. As it was used for sacred purpose
81 Co.. IL. - q
it was to be left until the morning. In case
any of it was left over, it was to be burned
Ready for the Journey Tvs IL, 19-They
were to eat it prepared for their journey
With their long mantles girded up so that
they would not be hindered in going, with
their sandals, which the people were not
accustomed to wear in the house, fastened to
their feet, and their slaves in their hands.
They were to eat in haste, ready to start at
moments warning. They were reminded
that it was the Lords passover. While the
destroyer would slay every first born of the
Egyptians, both Of man and beast, he would
save alive the children of the Israeiites in
every house where the blood of the lamb
appeared on the door posts. In this plague,
through the destruction of beasts it might
well be said that Jehovah would execute his
since not a few animals received divine wor-
ship.
THE PASSOVER LAMB AND THE LAMB OF GOD.
In this narrative the Old and New Testa-
ments clasp hands. This account seen in New
Testament light is a type or representation of
Christ. He is directly called the Lamb of
God and our passover. Some Of the points
of analogy between the passover lamb and
the Lamb of God are the following:
l. The passover lamb was without blemish
The Lamb Of God was without blemish and
without spot.
2. The passover lamb was slain between
the evenings, between 8 and G. At the very
same hour when the passover lambs were be-
ing slain the Lamb of God gave up his life on
the cross
The blood Of the passover lamb sprinkled
on the door posts and Intel was the salvation
of the inmates of the ISraelitish house The
blood of the Lamb of God sprinkled on our
hearts, which are our doors, is our salvation
from ruin.
4. The passover lamb, whose blood had
been shed for the Israelites, was eaten in COM
munion by the Israelites By faith we feed
on the Lamb of God in the supper and have
fellowship with one another.-Sunday School